the grand and sublime scenery with which they are surrounded.
The town of Rio or, to speak with becoming dignity of
the capital of the Brazils, the city of St. Sebastian is charmingly
situated on a projecting Quadrangular promontory of an
irregular form, three of whose sides are opposed to the harbour,
and the fourth sheltered from the prevailing westerly
blasts by a skreen of high hills well covered with wood. The
side of the town, which is next to that part of the harbour
where the shipping usually he at anchor, is nearly a mile and
half in length; and the depth inwards about three-fourths of a
mile. The northern angle of the promontory is a bold broken
eminence, on one point of which there is a regular fortification,
and on the other a convent of Benedictine monks,
which, being also surrounded with lines of defence, is actually
as well as metaphorically a church militant. These heights
completely command the town and the anchorage; and they
appear to command also, at least they are on a level with,
the strongest work in the harbour, on which the defence of
the place is thought principally to depend. This is the Ilha
dos Cobras, or Snake Island, a rock about 80 feet high at the
point on which the citadel stands, and slanting to eight at the
opposite end ; its length is 300 yards; and it is detached by a
narrow but very deep channel from the eminence on which the
Benedictine convent is situated. Round every side of this
strongly fortified island, and close to its shores, ships of the greatest
draught of water may lie in perfect security. Here also are
a commodious dock-yard, an arsenal of naval stores, a sheer
hulk, and a wharf for heaving down and careening shipping.
The largest fleets, however, may anchor in this capacious
harbour, entirely out of the reach of any of the guns that are
mounted on the forts.
On landing from the harbour, the first object in the town
that catches the attention is a handsome square, surrounded
on three of its sides with buildings, and the fourth open to
the water. Along, this side is erected a noble stone quay,
with flights of steps a t each extremity and in the centre, the
last of which is the common landing-place. When this line
of masonry shall be extended the whole length of the town,
which was intended to be done, it will serve not merely as an
ornament and convenience, but as a considerable defence
against the attempt of an enemy to land. Near the central
flight of stairs is a quadrangular obelisk throwing, from each
of its four fronts, a constant stream of pure limpid water for
the use of the lower part of the town and of the shipping in
the harbour. The upper side of the square, facing the harbour,
is entirely occupied by the palace of the Viceroy, a
long plain building, neither remarkable for elegance of design
nor peculiarity of construction..
The palace, the obelisk, and the pier, are all built 'with
hewn blocks of granite; and the surface of the square is a
solid floor of the same material, sprinkled over with quartzose
sand. The granite- being of that kind which contains a large
proportion of glistening mica is highly injurious to the eye,
which is scarcely able to bear the dazzling rays of the sun
playing throughout the whole day on one side or other of this